Women in Bihar voted overwhelmingly for the NDA in the assembly elections. This was evident from the turnout figures, as women voted 9% more than men in the record-breaking polling.
It is usually difficult to gauge the voting preferences of rural women beforehand, but this time, the undercurrent of support driven by the Rs10,000 assistance provided under the Mukhyamantri Rozgar Yojana was clearly visible. It appears women, in general, placed strong trust in Nitish Kumar.
Cash schemes have been the reason behind the ruling parties’ victories in several states, which encouraged the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government to offer every eligible woman Rs10,000 in cash assistance along with collateral-free loans of up to Rs2 lakh. This cash transfer became the NDA’s winning formula in Bihar as well.
However, political observers believe that this programme was not just about money, it was the beginning of self-employment.
Nitish Kumar was among the first leaders to recognise women, who form nearly 48% of Bihar’s total electorate, as a distinct and influential constituency. He has consistently nurtured this base through various welfare schemes. Initially, he had avoided relying solely on cash handouts as welfare politics.
Initiatives such as 50% reservation for women in panchayati raj institutions and urban bodies, 35% reservation in government jobs, the bicycle distribution scheme for schoolgirls, financial assistance for the education and marriage of daughters, measures to enhance women’s participation in agriculture, and the prohibition of liquor have earned him strong support among women voters.
The additional grant of Rs10,000 to 1.51 crore women just before the elections further consolidated this backing.